Tag Archives: beans

We’ve been intrigued with this Southern delicacy ever since we first saw it on the menu at one of our favorite dive bars in Williamsburg. This meaty pile of semi-shameful indiscretion is as delicious as it is sounds, whether you’re under the influence or not. Resist the urge to overthink the chili and let a few simple ingredients do work. Just be forewarned, this may replace nachos as your favorite meat/cheese/corn chip combination.

Suggested Wine Pairing: You’re eating Frito pie; you should just drink what you want

Suggested Beer Pairing: Whatever’s clever. (see: Eating Frito Pie)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (we recommend an 80/20 mix) ($3.99/lb)

1 large onion ($0.99/lb)

1 jalapeno pepper ($2.99/lb)

4 cloves garlic ($2.99/lb)

1 15 oz can of black beans ($1.19/15 oz can)

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes ($2.49/28 oz can)

1 6 oz can can tomato paste ($0.99/6 oz can)

1 TBSP cumin ($3.50/2 oz jar)

1 TBSP chili powder ($1.50/4 oz jar)

2 TSP liquid smoke ($2.89/3 oz)

1 TBSP paprika ($3/2 oz jar)

1 TSP cayenne pepper ($2/3.5 oz jar)

1 TBSP balsamic vinegar ($8.99/32 oz))

1 TSP sugar ($2.39/2 lb box)

1 10.5 oz bag Frito corn chips ($3.29/10.5 oz bag)

8 oz cheddar cheese ($8.99/lb)

3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil ($8.99/32 oz)

Salt

Pepper

Preparation:

Finely dice your onion and mince your garlic. Wash your jalapeno thoroughly, halve it and remove the seeds and ribs (leave the seeds in if you want a spicier chili).

Finely dice the jalapeno so it melds easier in the chili.

Put the pot over medium heat and add your olive oil. Throw in the onions first and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stirring every minute or so, cook the onions for 5 minutes then add the garlic and jalapeno. Cook everything down for another 5 minutes and add in your beef.

Salt and pepper the beef, making sure to break it up with your spoon. Stir everything together so the veggies are mixed throughout the meat. Add in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper and give it another good stir. Cook the meat mixture until it’s lightly browned, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes or so).

Spoon in the tomato paste and pour in the crushed tomatoes. Add the liquid smoke, vinegar, sugar, a few healthy pinches of salt and a good dose of black pepper. Turn the heat to low and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn.

Use diced or break up whole canned tomatoes if you want chunkier chili.

While your chili is bubbling away shred up the cheddar and set it aside in a bowl for later.

Drain the beans and stir them in to the mix. Taste everything and re-season as you see fit. Once the flavors are to your liking cook it down for another 10 minutes to finish it off.

We prefer black beans for this one but go nuts with your legume of preference.

Take a handful of Fritos and put them in a soup bowl or plate. Spoon a couple healthy heaps of chili over the top of them and sprinkle cheese over the whole lot.

Short ribs are a favorite of ours because the only way to screw them up is to undercook them. Oh no, you let it go for 3 hours instead of 2? That just means you’ll be able to cut it with a spoon, lucky. Also, with the Super Bowl around the corner you’ve got the perfect excuse for some serious chili making, which also requires patience and the ability to drink beer while you’re waiting. Our work here is done.

At the butcher (or meat counter) ask them to cut your ribs into 2 inch chunks. When you get them home, season each piece liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.

Dice your onion and pepper, and mince the garlic. While you’re at it, cut your bacon strips in to 1 inch chunks for later.

Put your pot over high heat and coat the bottom in olive oil. Taking a few pieces at a time so you don’t crowd the pot, sear the ribs on every side (you’ll need a plate or bowl to hold those that are finished). Once you’ve browned everything throw in the garlic and onion and scrape up the brown bits off the bottom. Let them sweat for a minute then put the ribs back in the pot.

Once the meat is down, don't move it. And don't you dare flip it more than once.

Pour in the beer and enough beef stock to cover everything. Stir in maple syrup, cayenne pepper, chili powder and liquid smoke. Reduce the heat to low, pop the lid on and let it simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

While your beef is braising (aka, cooking in liquid after being seared) put a frying pan over medium head and throw in your bacon pieces. Cook them until they’re crispy and then drain them on a paper towel and set aside for later.

When you can pull the beef apart with a fork, pull the pieces out of the juice and put it on a cutting board. Remove the bones and chop up the meat into bite-sized pieces. Toss them back in the liquid.

Chop that meat up into tiny little melt-in-your-mouth morsels.

Drain one of the cans of beans and add them to the pot. Pour in the second can, bean juice and all. Add the green peppers.

Chop up the chipotle peppers and toss them in the pot. We also like to spoon in a little of the adobo sauce that comes in the can.

Mince the peppers into a fine paste and stir them in.

Let things simmer for another 20 minutes and adjust your flavors to taste. Add the bacon bits just before serving to add some texture to the bowl. Spoon into big bowls and serve with cornbread, or just ladle from the pot into your mouth.

In honor of the upcoming holiday we put a little twist on everyone’s favorite fall fowl. Bursting with unexpected flavors, this lighter version of chili (ok, we know, it’s all relative) gets a nice kick from chorizo and chipotle. Use cornbread from the box as a starter for a side with plenty of cheesy goodness. We recommend experimenting with different peppers to get the spice at prime cockle-warming levels.

If you can read, you should be able to make cornbread. Since you’re looking at this blog we’ll assume this won’t be a problem. Preheat the oven according to the package. Put the dry mix in your mixing bowl, add the eggs and milk and whisk it all together.

Squeeze in about 1 1/2 TBSP of honey and grate in 1/2 C of cheddar cheese. Stir again until everything’s mixed.

Stay sweet with some bee juice in your bread.

Taking 1 TBSP of butter, grease up the bottom and sides of the baking pan and pour in your corn bread mix.

Don't forget this part; it will make your life easier when you're trying to cut the bread out of the pan.

Bake according to instructions, or until you can stick a toothpick in and pull it out clean. Set aside to cool and wait patiently for the chili to cook.

Chili Preparation:

Dice the onions and mince the garlic. Remove the chorizo links from their casings and cut them into pieces as small as you can get them (you want the meat to be as close as minced as possible).

Mince your meat.

Put your pot over medium heat and add 2 TBSP of butter to get the party started. Add the aforementioned diced/minced ingredients, a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper and cook everything down for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so things don’t burn.

Add the ground turkey to the pot along with another couple healthy pinches of salt and pepper and stir everything together. Give the turkey a good stir every couple of minutes and cook it until it’s lightly browned. You should be good to go in 13 minutes or so.

While the turkey is cooking, mince the chipotle peppers. Add them to the pot after about 10 minutes when the turkey has had the chance to brown a bit.

Mince the peppers and don't be shy about adding some more adobo sauce to the mix.

Drain the corn and beans and add them to the pot along with the chicken stock. Add the oregano, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, vinegar and liquid smoke. Stir thoroughly, bring everything to a light boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little flour to thicken things up a bit and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve with a healthy grating of cheese over top and a nice slice of corn bread.

Add the entire quart of stock. If you need more liquid you can use water, or go crazy with some ale or white wine.

With Spring officially here and short shorts weather just around the corner you may be wondering why the hell we’re choosing to post a chili recipe now. Well, March was busy, so there; rest assured that this one is worth waiting for. Skip the ground beef, stew beef or any other budget cut you were eying at the meat counter and go straight for the sirloin for the tastiest chili you’ve had this side of Texas. Oh, and did we mention there’s bacon? You’re welcome.

Suggested Beer Pairing: Any beer goes with chili, but we prefer stouts, porters, dopplebocks, or IPAs

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. boneless sirloin steak (about $7/lb)

2 cans of red kidney beans ($1.19/can)

2 28oz cans chunky style tomatoes ($2.99/can)

1 large onion ($.99/lb)

1 green pepper ($2.99/lb)

1 poblano pepper ($2.99/lb, you can use 2 jalapenos if you can’t find a poblano)

1 11oz can of corn ($1.59/can) (Brothers’ Note: Green Giant sells white corn with chipotle, which goes awesomely with chili. We swear this isn’t a shill but if General Mills wants to pay us, let’s talk)

Trim any excess fat off of the steaks and cut into even 1 inch chunks. Season all sides with liberal salt and pepper.

Sirloin, the other red meat.

Place your pot over medium heat; once hot pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom and throw in your steak pieces. Brown evenly, stirring things up about once every 3 minutes.

Browning makes it all better.

While the steak is browning, dice the onion and green pepper, and mince the garlic cloves. After the meat is evenly browned, toss the veggies in and reduce to low heat.

After about two minutes of cooking down the vegetables, pour in the tomatoes, kidney beans, corn and beer. Simmer for about 15 minutes or so.

No, wait...beer makes it all better.

While your concoction is simmering, place the poblano directly over a burner at medium heat to char the skin off. Keep it over the flame for about a minute a side until the skin turns black (it’ll make popping sounds from time to time, this is normal). We shouldn’t have to tell you that you’re playing with an open flame, so be careful.

Adding some heat (it's a play on words...we'll wait)

When your pepper is properly charred, put it in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to sweat it out. After about 5 minutes, run it under hot water and rub the skin off. Cut in half lengthwise, remove the ribs and seeds, dice that puppy up and throw it in the pot with everything else.

Like a pepper sauna.

Once (almost) everything’s in the mix, add the bbq sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup and cayenne to taste. It should be an even balance of heat and sweet (unless you like it spicier; it’s your birthday, we just came for the cake). Keep simmering for another 15 minutes or so.

During this last round of simmering, place a frying pan over medium heat and cook up your bacon. Drain and set it aside. Once you’re ready to serve things up, crumble the strips into the pot and stir in the pieces for a nice flavor boost and texture contrast.

What's a Brothers Brown recipe without a bacon shot. Like Christmas without presents, that's what.

Spoon into bowls, serve with sour cream and cheddar cheese for extra credit (for extra, extra credit use an aged cheddar; we used an 18 month English number just to up the ridiculosity).